The Enrica Lexie Incident (Italy v. India)

On 26 June 2015, Italy served India with a notification of dispute under Article 287 and Annex VII, Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). According to Italy, the Parties’ dispute arises from an incident approximately 20.5 nautical miles off the coast of India involving the MV Enrica Lexie, an oil tanker flying the Italian flag, and India’s subsequent exercise of criminal jurisdiction over two Italian marines from the Italian Navy in respect of that incident. According to India, the “incident” in question concerns the killing of two Indian fishermen, on board an Indian vessel named the St. Antony, allegedly by two Italian marines stationed on the Enrica Lexie, and the subsequent exercise of jurisdiction by India.